Kuala Lumpur International Airport (with IATA code KUL but commonly known as KLIA) is Malaysia's primary international gateway and a significant hub for regional travel within Southeast Asia and beyond.
It’s located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately 45 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur's city center. The airport officially opened in 1998 and has since become a mega-hub for international travel. It’s the second most well-connected airport in the world by the ratio of connection flight frequency to destinations served.
In 2024, KLIA served over 55 million passengers ranking among the world’s 50 biggest airports.
Major Airlines - Malaysian Airlines and AirAsia
KLIA serves as the main hub for Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air Malaysia, and AirAsia, including its long-haul affiliate, AirAsia X. Other airlines with significant presence are Malindo Air and Lion Air.
The airport accommodates a wide array of international carriers, connecting Kuala Lumpur to destinations across the globe. You can fly to hundreds of destinations in Asia, a dozen or so in the Middle East, and a few in Europe. KLIA is also connected to some of the biggest airports in Australia and New Zealand and as of recently, 1 destination in Africa (Nairobi, Kenya).
In total, Kuala Lumpur International Airport sees over 65 airlines, most on at least a weekly basis.
See all airlines that fly from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Terminals
Kuala Lumpur International Airport comprises two terminals:
KLIA1: Serves full-service carriers. It includes a main building for domestic flights and a satellite building for international flights.
KLIA2: Specifically designed for low-cost carriers (both domestic and international flights), with AirAsia being the primary airline.
To know with certainty which terminal you fly from or arrive at, check your ticket or boarding pass - it’s usually written there. As a rule of thumb, if you’re flying with a full-service airline, it will be KLIA1 and if it’s a low-cost airline, it will be KLIA2.
The two terminals are not connected airside. This means that you cannot transfer between KLIA1 and KLIA2 without clearing Immigration and officially entering Malaysia.
However, a free shuttle bus service facilitates transfers between the two terminals. It is available 24/7, every day of the week, and the bus runs every 10-15 minutes, looping from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 to Long Term Car Park (LTCP) and back to Terminal 1.
The Aerotrain, an automated people mover connecting KLIA1 and KLIA2, is currently suspended for renovations.
Check-in Process
Most airlines nowadays offer online check-in which streamlines the airport experience. This is a convenient way to get a boarding pass and save time queuing at the airport.
KLIA goes one step further with automated check-in kiosks available at both terminals. These kiosks are available to passengers from select airlines (AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines just 2 of them) and you can use them to check in for your flights as well as select seats (if available) and print your boarding pass.
If you’re traveling with luggage, you can use the Self-Service Baggage Drop (SSBD). It allows you to print a bag tag and drop off your bags all by yourself with minimal queues.
If you’re not eligible to use the automated check-in kiosks or the SSBD, the most likely reason is that your destination has strict entry requirements, like visas or proof of onward travel, for your nationality. In such a case, you will have to visit a manned counter to check in.
In general, KLIA is a very efficient airport and there are rarely queues at check-in, security, or Immigration. Arriving at the airport two hours before international flights and one hour before domestic flights is most often enough with time to spare.
Transit at KLIA
It’s important to note that the two terminals, KLIA1 and KLIA2, effectively function as their separate entities. As such, you may not transit between the two without fulfilling the immigration requirements.
If you have connecting flights at KLIA, worry not, as booking under the same PNR ensures that you will land and depart from the same terminal.
Still, if you have booked 2 separate flights and you only travel with carry-on luggage, and:
They both use KLIA1: You can transit without clearing Immigration via the Transfer Hall / Transfer Counter.
They both use KLIA2: You can transit without clearing Immigration via the Transfer Hall / Transfer Counter.
One flight uses KLIA1 but the other KLIA2: You have to clear Immigration, leave the terminal, travel to the other, and clear Immigration again.
Dining Options at KLIA
Both terminals of KLIA have no shortage of restaurants and fast food eateries. These are just some of the choices you have:
DIN by Din Tai Fung: Some of the best Chinese food not only at the airport but perhaps in Kuala Lumpur. This is no small feat in Malaysia. You can find this restaurant both at KLIA1 and KLIA2, before security.
McDonald's: Found in the arrival and departure areas of both terminals, the favorite fast food chain offers quick meals if you’re looking for a familiar taste.
Nando’s: The Afro-Portuguese chain for flame-grilled chicken is located landside in KLIA2.
Grandmama's: The place to go for wonderful Malaysian cuisine. Located in the Satellite Building of KLIA1.
Lounges
Both terminals have VIP lounges, although KLIA1, being the terminal for full-service airlines, has the better and the more luxurious lounges.
Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge: A set of 2 lounges, one “domestic” and one “regional”, situated on both sides of the Immigration desks in KLIA1. Both are accessible to Malaysia Airlines premium passengers and Oneworld Alliance members and offer amenities such as showers, Wi-Fi, and a selection of food and beverages.
Plaza Premium Lounge: Also 2 lounges are available, both in the international area of KLIA1. They are available to all passengers for a fee, providing comfortable seating, refreshments, and business facilities.
Travel Club Lounge: Quite possibly the best lounge on the airside of KLIA2, near Gate Q. You can enter with priority pass. A good buffet of various foods is offered, as well as showers and strong wifi.
Transportat between KLIA and the city of Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur International Airport is very well connected to the city and you have various options for transport to choose from.
Read below for the fastest, the cheapest, and the most convenient overall options:
KLIA Ekspres: A non-stop train service connecting the airport to Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station in approximately 28 minutes. A single ticket costs 55 MYR, a return is 100 MYR. Trains depart from both KLIA1 and KLIA2 every 20 minutes.
Bus: Several bus companies operate between the airport and various locations in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia in general. Journey time to Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station is about 1 hour with prices fixed at 15 MYR (cheaper if booked online). The buses stop at both terminals.
Taxi: Taxi ranks are situated in front of the terminal. A ride to the city center typically takes about 45-60 minutes, depending on traffic. Fares are fixed, and it's advisable to purchase a coupon from the official taxi counter (“Taxi Coupon”) inside the terminal. The price to get to Kuala Lumpur depends on the type of vehicle: between 74.30 MYR and 199.80 MYR.
Car Hire: Several car rental companies operate within the airport. Find their desks in the arrival areas of both terminals.
Parking at KLIA
There are short and long-term parking options in front of both terminals with comparative prices.
In front of KLIA1, you have:
Short-Term Car Park at Blocks A, B, and C: Over 5700 parking bays at 5 MYR per hour, reduced for longer stays. 52 MYR max per day. Blocks A and B can be used for long-term parking at 52 MYR per day, reduced to 30 MYR past day 3.
Long-Term Car Park located near Malaysia Airports Training Centre: maximum charge of 32 MYR per day. Can be used by passengers at KLIA2 too.
Preferred parking: to park close to the terminal building, go to Level 2, Block B & C of the Short-Term Car Park. The fee is 15 MYR for the first hour, 7 MYR every additional hour, and 150 MYR daily cap.
Motorcycle parking at ground level block A: Just 1 MYR per entry.
There is a free shuttle from the parking building to the terminal and back.
In front of KLIA2, there are:
Short-Term Car Park at Gateway @ KLIA2: Over 6000 parking bays at 5 MYR per hour with discounts for longer stays. 50 MYR daily cap.
Long-Term Car Park located near Malaysia Airports Training Centre: maximum charge of 32 MYR per day. Can be used by passengers at KLIA1 too.
Valet Parking @ Level 3: 15 MYR per hour plus 5 MYR every additional hour.
Motorcycle parking: Just 1 MYR per entry.
Hotels
Kuala Lumpur International Airport has no shortage of accommodation options both inside the airport and in the immediate vicinity.
The Sama-Sama Hotel is the best airside transit hotel at both terminals. It’s a good place to relax without crossing Immigration. Be careful when booking as the hotel has a branch in the landside area of KLIA1 too, which would involve passing through Immigration.
For airside transit at KLIA2, you can also choose the CapsuleTransit KLIA 2 Airport Hotel for short and long stays alike. Soundproofed rooms, comfortable beds, and a warm shower.
A more budget-friendly option is the Tune Hotel KLIA2, located adjacent to KLIA2, thus after Immigration, which provides basic small but comfortable rooms and well-maintained amenities.
Click here to explore more hotels near Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
